LOOKING BACK
In 2002 we said "goodbye"
to several members of staff:
Mrs. Magdalen Price - English
Mrs. Val Travis - Chemistry and Science
who retired for the third time!
Mr. George Bristow - Geography who
also retired for the third time!
Mrs. Christine Blow - Spanish
Mr. Alan Hulme - retired as system
manager and his position in charge of
computing
Dr. Paul Cook - Biology and Science,
who has moved closer to home in
Lancaster
Mrs. Lynda Sturt - Physics and Science
who has moved to Cheshire
Mr. Chris Marlow - Head of English who
has now reappeared as a part time
English teacher
Sadly, Mrs. Elizabeth Culley, Head of History
for over 30 years at BRGS died last year.
She had attended over 40 prize givings as
student, teacher and friend of BRGS in a
professional life devoted to the school.
We are also sorry to report that one of the
stalwarts of the PTA died this year. Mrs.
Carol Brown was a reliable and totally
dedicated member of the PTA. A special
prize giving award was given in 2002 in her
memory.
The BRGS
Journal, No
5, Volume 3,
Sept 1933.
FA
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In 2002 we were pleased to welcome nine new staff
to the school in September:
Miss. Kate Lees
Miss. Jade Caton
After leaving the University of Portsmouth with
Miss Jade Caton is originally from Kendal in the
a degree in marine biology, Miss Kate Lees
Lake District. After graduating in Psychology at
participated in several marine research projects
Bolton Institute of Higher Education, she was
around the world, visiting Bimini in the
President of the Student’s Union for a year,
working on various projects to improve student
Bahamas, Borneo and Honduras. Miss Lees
life in Bolton. Miss Caton was a Police Officer
returned to England in 2001, completed a
with Greater Manchester Police for three years
PGCE at the University of Manchester and
before deciding to use her degree and go into
worked at Hulme Grammar School for boys for
teaching. She chose BRGS because of "its
a short period of time before joining BRGS to
thriving psychology department and excellent
teach biology. Miss Lees enjoys several sports
results." Her interests include yoga and running.
and has been playing rugby for several years.
She hopes "to encourage girls at BRGS to take
Mrs. Maureen Bingley
up the sport in the not too distant future!"
has joined BRGS as a part-time teacher in
physics and science. Previously Head of Science
Dr. Val Roberts
at Ormskirk Grammar School (now known as
worked in industry for 20 years mainly at BNFL
Ormskirk School), Mrs. Bingley originally comes
at Springfields and Sellafield as a materials
from South Wales but has lived in Lancashire for
engineer. In 1986, Dr. Roberts retrained as
27 years. Her interests include walking and
teacher, taking a one year PGCE, and since
painting.
then has taught physics in various high schools
and further education colleges as well as
Mrs. Anne Mazzina
tutoring an engineering course with the Open
has joined the maths department at BRGS. Mrs.
University. When time allows, her interests
Mazzina used to work at Accrington and
include running, hill walking and gardening.
Rossendale College followed by six years at
Moorhead High School, an 11-16 year school in
Mr. Steve Adams
Accrington. Here, she taught maths; supported
is originally from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria
pupils with English as an additional language;
where he worked as an engineer in a shipyard.
and acted in a liaison role between school and
He graduated in American Studies from the
the community.
University of Manchester which included one
study year in the US at Pennsylvania State Mr. Mark Spencer
University. Mr. Adams has taught English and
was a pupil at BRGS until 1993 and has now
Media Studies at Oulder Hill Community
returned to the other side of the desk. He says
School, Rochdale for 5 years and came to
"thankfully my old teachers have either forgiven
BRGS to set up a media course at A-level which
me or left and it doesn’t feel as odd as it might
has proved very popular.
have done." Mr. Spencer’s previous teaching
posts were at Barden High School, Burnley and
Mr. Darren Vass
Turton School, Bolton.
Mr. Darren Vass is originally from Ipswich in
Suffolk but has been living in the north-west for Miss Emma Gauntlett
about seven years. After university Mr. Vass
studied at BRGS from 1986-1993 before
worked for some years in the IT industry and in
graduating from Oxford University. Miss
a number of schools in Manchester, Salford and
Gauntlett did voluntary work overseas for a year
Wigan before joining BRGS. Mr. Vass said he
before spending 6 years in London at the
hopes "to contribute a great deal to both the
NSPCC and the British Red Cross in major gift
ICT and computing courses that BRGS offer"
fundraising and marketing. She has returned to
and is very pleased to be teaching at BRGS.
BRGS in a new role as Development Director,
looking at renewing contacts with former pupils
and developing links to the local community.
YOUR HELP
BRGS is increasingly dependent on the generosity of parents, governors,
former pupils, companies and charitable trusts for financial support to
enable us to provide high quality education. If you or your company
would like to find out more about how you could invest in the future of
current and future generations of pupils at BRGS, please contact Emma
Gauntlett, Development Director, at the school on 01706 234500 ext. 179
or at [email protected].
There are a number of ways in which you could consider supporting BRGS
including tax-effective regular gifts, sponsorship, shares and legacies.
This brochure is kindly sponsored by the BRGS Fundraising Trust, but we
would appreciate enquiries from local companies who may be interested
in sponsoring future editions of this newsletter.
Judith Craven, P. Thelwell and
D. Mutton in a scene from Pygmalion,
Squirrel, No 22, May 1974
Thank you in advance for your support.
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